non-English Major College Students Research Articles

Researching Translanguaging as a Feasible Pedagogical Practice: Evidence from Chinese English-as-a-Foreign-Language Students’ Perceptions

Translanguaging as pedagogical practice and a theory of language has gained increasing importance in recent years. However, little research has reported Chinese English-as-a-foreign-language students’ perceptions of translanguaging; neither has research examined the predictive effects of the factors contributing to the amount of student translanguaging in the Chinese English-as-a-foreign-language classrooms. This study intended to fill the gap by inviting 292 Chinese English-as-a-foreign-language students to respond to a questionnaire that explores students’ perception of translanguaging. Two research questions were addressed: first, how do students’ attitudes to translanguaging vary across second-language proficiency? Second, how is the amount of student translanguaging predicted by students’ attitudes to translanguaging and the amount of teacher translanguaging? The results of a one-way analysis of variance revealed a statistically significant difference among the four groups in attitudes to teacher translanguaging and students’ translanguaging. A post hoc test found that non-English major first-year university students had a significantly higher level of acceptance of teachers’ and students’ translanguaging than English major first-year university students. Multiple regression analysis showed that the amount of teacher translanguaging and student attitudes to translanguaging explained a significant quantity of the variance in the amount of student translanguaging. The implications of the study were also discussed.

Spoken English Obstacles Confronted by Chinese Non-English Major College Students

This study surveyed 30 non-English majors in Jiangxi University of Engineering, based on Swain’s output hypothesis, Krashen’s input hypothesis, and Nattinger and Decarrico’s language block theory, aiming to explore the specific manifestations and causes of spoken English obstacles among non-English majors. In this study, the data were collected by questionnaire survey and analyzed by SPSS23.0 software. It is found that the spoken English obstacles of non-English majors mainly include two categories: verbal obstacles and non-verbal obstacles. The causes of them are accounted from subjective and objective aspects. Subjective factors include students’ anxiety, timidity, insufficient knowledge level, and poor learning methods and habits. Objective factors include lacks of cultural background knowledge, authentic language environment and teachers’ professional quality.

Online education at Saigon University during the COVID-19 pandemic: A survey on non-English major college students’ attitudes towards learning English

The outbreak of Covid-19 has forced educational institutions to initiate online teaching to maintain the process of student learning at all levels. This paper focuses on online education at Saigon University, during which the local government has been mandating social distancing in most of the regions. This paper aims to investigate the students' attitudes towards using online learning tools, which are comprised of learning management systems (Moodle and digital support for core materials) via virtual classrooms (Google meet). A survey questionnaire was designed to evaluate attitudes towards using the above online teaching and learning package from 222 non-English major undergraduates who took part in General English courses at Saigon University in July 2021. The results indicate that a majority of students show favorable attitudes towards online education; in the meantime, health and social issues also concern their learning process. Some recommendations are also offered for improving the efficiency of the online education process at Saigon University. Since the study focused on non-English major college students, it is hoped to have particular relevance to other institutions of higher education.

Effect of Backward Summary Technique on Reading Comprehension Enhancement among Non-English Majors

This study aimed to probe whether using the backward summary technique led to reading comprehension enhancement among non-English major university students at the Islamic Azad University of Babol, located in Babol city, in the North of Iran. 120 B.S. level nursing and microbiology students were randomly selected from a population of non-English majors enrolled for the General English course, divided into four groups of 30, and were randomly assigned to two experimental and two control groups. A pre-test of reading comprehension was administered to all groups, and then, they were taught passages t read for eight sessions but with different methods. A one-way ANCOVA was run to investigate the impact of the intervention, while controlling for the pre-test. The results indicated statistically significant effects for the experimental groups on the post-test, regarding comprehension, retention, and organization of the key concepts.

Perceptions of Non-English Major College Students on Learning English Vocabulary with Gamified Apps

As gamified English vocabulary learning Apps are increasingly popular among Chinese English learners, this study explores how non-English major college students, who may lack initiatives in foreign language learning, perceive those Apps. Following a qualitative approach, this study analyzed interview data from fifty-three students who have used gamified English vocabulary learning Apps in latest 12 months. The major findings of this study include: (1) the preferred game settings included challenge, team, leaderboard, competition, coins, and badges; (2) students perceived the motivation activation effects of the apps by receiving instant feedback, enjoyment, and sense of achievement, and inactivation effects considering the attention distraction, additional competitive pressure, and imperfect words matching; and (3) students believed that the apps helped to form vocabulary learning habits because of its convenience, rewarding mechanism, and group setting, while others did not because they had fixed learning routines. Then, this study explained and discussed the findings considering factors from or related to both the gamified Apps and students. This study explored the potential of the popular vocabulary learning Apps in enhancing students’ English learning motivation and learning habits and extended the scopes of research on gamification in foreign language education.

A Survey of Non-English Majors' English Listening and Speaking Competence

The teaching goal of College English Curriculum Requirements issued by the Ministry of Education is to cultivate college students' comprehensive English application ability, especially listening and speaking ability, so that they can communicate effectively in English in their future study, work and social interaction. Listening and speaking is an important means of communication. With the acceleration of the process of global economic integration, the demand for applied talents of foreign languages is increasing.Non-English major students also need to have a certain degree of English listening and speaking ability, in order to communicate with foreigners, so as to better work and study. However, the current situation of non-English majors' English listening and speaking ability is not optimistic, so the non-English majors' English listening and speaking ability has been the focus of social attention.And the existing research is also insufficient, so this study from the English listening and speaking foundation, English classroom, autonomous learning three aspects to study the non-English major college students' English listening and speaking ability and its promotion measures.In the investigation, it is found that the non-English majors in our university are poor in English listening and speaking. The main reasons are as follows: under the guidance of the examination-oriented English education, the university does not attach importance to English listening and speaking education, so the students have a poor foundation in listening and speaking;College English common course can not make students' English listening and speaking ability to be effectively improved;Students' desire to learn English listening and speaking independently is not strong and the efficiency of autonomous learning is not high.The main countermeasures are to improve English education in basic education, to enhance the quality of college English class, and to teach students effective autonomous learning strategies, to encourage students to enhance their motivation of English listening and speaking learning.

College Students’ Oral Communication Strategy Use, Self-perceived English Proficiency and Confidence, and Communication Anxiety in Taiwan’s EFL Learning

The English language is widely disseminated globally, where it is the major medium of cross-communication in international/intercultural contexts. The purpose of this study is to assess (1) non-English major college students’ self-perceived overall English proficiency, speaking confidence, and communication anxiety/apprehension (CA) in EFL classes; (2) the most- and least-used types of student EFL communication strategies (CSs); (3) the interrelation between the choice of CSs, self-perceived overall English proficiency, speaking confidence, and CA; and (4) the significant predictors affecting CA. A total of 333 students with non-English majors at a private university in Taiwan participated in this study. Participants filled out two questionnaires that used moderations of the Oral Communication Strategy Inventory (OCSI) and the Communication Apprehension Subscale (CAS). Results found that students tend to perceive their English proficiency and speaking confidence as low and their anxiety in speaking English as high. The higher number of CSs used by students included message abandonment, non-verbal, and social effective strategies and the least-used types were “attempt to think in English” and “accuracy” strategies. The OCSI choices were found to have significant positive or negative correlations with the three variables of CA, self-perceived overall English proficiency, and speaking confidence, which is also significantly correlated with each other.

Auditory and kinaesthetic learning styles and L2 achievement: A correlational study

This study investigated undergraduate non-English major university students’ auditory and kinaesthetic learning styles and their relationships to second language (L2) achievement in English. It was conducted to resolve the conflicting findings in the literature on the directions and strength of the relationships between learners’ learning styles and their achievements and to investigate the field in relatively under-researched Indonesian participants. The study used a survey as the method of data collection and found out that learners used auditory slightly more dominantly from kinaesthetic, yet both learning styles were merely used at low to moderate levels. The study further found very weak and statistically not significant associations between these learning styles and L2 achievements, suggesting that contrary to various learning theories highlighting the importance of learners’ learning styles in L2 learning, these learning styles may not be an important determinant of L2 achievement. Based on the findings, possible future studies are suggested concerning the implications, contributions, and limitations of the study.

Research on Minority College Students’ Engagement in English Learning

This paper studies the relationship between minority college students’ English learning autonomy, English learning self-efficacy and English learning engagement, based on attribution theory and social cognitive theory. A questionnaire was first conducted on 570 ethnic minority non-English major college students in Yunnan province, Guizhou province, and Sichuan province, China. Then, statistical software is used to make regression analysis on the relationship between variables. Research results show that English learning autonomy has a significant positive impact on English learning engagement; English learning autonomy has a significant positive impact on English learning self-efficacy; English learning self-efficacy has a significant positive impact on English learning engagement; English learning self-efficacy has a partial mediating role in English learning autonomy and English learning engagement. Finally, some strategies are proposed to improve English learning engagement from motivation-driven perspective, involving learning evaluation, learning resources and learning guidance.

Do English and non-English major university students use the same EFL speaking strategies in Bangladesh?

Do English and non-English major university students use the same EFL speaking strategies in Bangladesh?

RETRACTED: Evaluation of college students’ English performance considering Roche multiway tree clustering

In this study, the questionnaire survey, diversified classroom teaching, and multivariate evaluation are carried out on college students of non-English majors based on the Roche multiway tree clustering method. The SPSS statistical software is used for statistical analysis. The results show that Roche multiway tree cluster distribution of non-English major college students is at a medium level. There is no significant correlation between the comprehensive English performance and the overall Roche multiway tree clustering, and there is a low positive correlation between Roche multiway tree clustering and English listening. Studies have suggested that in comprehensive English classroom teaching, teachers should pay attention to the weak intelligence of students, teach students according to their intelligence difference, build a diversified classroom teaching evaluation model, and promote the all-round development of student intelligence.

INTERNATIONAL POSTURE, INTEGRATIVENESS AND L2 MOTIVATION IN THE SERBIAN EFL CONTEXT

In line with globalization, the development of bicultural identities and the emergence of English as a world language, the notion of “World English identity” or “international posture” has emerged, defined as the concept of English language separated from its native communities and cultures. As a means of explaining how an individual tends to relate oneself to the global community rather than any particular geographical or cultural entity, international posture has been regarded as an alternative to the notion of integrativeness or an interest in learning a foreign language in order to identify with a specific language community. Previous research has demonstrated that the lack of identification with native speakers and their cultures is an important motivating factor for English language learners in various contexts. The aim of the study is to determine which factor is a more significant predictor of English language learning motivation, international posture or integrativeness, in Serbia, that is, in the context with limited contact with the target language community. For this purpose, we conducted a survey with non-English major university students. The method of data collection involved a questionnaire survey aimed at examining the students’ international posture, integrativeness and their English language learning motivation. The results indicated that both international posture and integrativeness are predictors of the participants’ motivation for English language learning, while the concept of international posture proved to be a more significant source of the learners’ motivation. The present findings provide important insights into the nature of L2 motivation of the participants, thus carrying some pedagogical implications.

Cultivation of Critical Thinking Skills in College English Writing under Blended Learning Model

Critical thinking skills are very important to the cultivation of applied talents. In order to cultivate critical thinking skills in writing of non-English major college students, the research group made detailed investigations on related studies. Then the study analyzed the status quo of college English writing teaching by employing quantitative and qualitative research design. Based on the above study, the research group put forward effective strategies of cultivating critical thinking skills in college English writing under blended learning model. The strategies suggest breaking college English teachers’ stereotyped teaching concepts, enhancing their own critical thinking skills, setting up clear teaching objectives, perfecting the teaching process of English writing, optimizing learning resources and establishing a comprehensive evaluation system. The research result can greatly exercise students’ judgment and develop their minds, so as to enhance their critical thinking skills and improve the cultivation of talents.

A Study on Non-English Major Students’ English Learning Anxiety in General English Conversation Class

본 연구의 목적은 서울의 한 여자 대학교에서 영어회화 수업을 수강하는 비영어전공 대학생들의 언어 불안을 유발하는 요인들이 무엇인지 조사하고 그들의 불안 수준에 나이, 계열, 그리고 영어 학습기간에 따라 유의미한 차이가 있는지 검토하고자 함이다. 연구 대상은 2019년 가을 학기에 교양영어 수업을 15주 간 수강한 514명의 1학년 한국 대학생들이다. 이들은 Horwitz의 Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS)(외국어 교실 불안 척도)를 바탕으로 23문항으로 수정된 설문에 응답하였다. 1) English as a Foreign Language (EFL) 학습 중 불안을 유발하는 요인이 무엇인지, 2) 나이, 계열, 영어 학습기간에 따라 학습 불안이 어떻게 달라지는지를 알아보기 위해 SPSS 26을 이용하여 설문에 대한 응답을 분석하였다. 그 결과, 학생들의 불안 유발 요인은 대부분 (1) 문법적 실수를 하는 것, (2) 구술시험을 치르는 것, 그리고 (3) 준비 없이 수업 시간에 말하기였다. 응답을 분석하기 위해 ANOVA test를 사용한 결과 영어 학습기간에 있어서 유의미한 차이를 보였다 (F=5.559, p-value = .000). 한편, 나이와 계열에 따른 차이를 분석한 결과, 유의한 차이가 없는 것으로 나타났다.The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors causing language anxiety by non-English major university students taking general English conversation class in a women’s university in Seoul. It also aimed to examine if their level of anxiety is significantly varied in terms of their age, fields of majors, and length of studying English. For the study, the subjects were 514 first-year students in Korean EFL (English as a Foreign Language) classrooms during a 15-week semester in the fall of 2019. The participants responded to a 23-item modified survey based on Horwitz’s Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS). In order to find out 1) what factors make learners anxious while learning EFL and 2) how their English learning anxiety varies by age, different fields of majors, and length of studying English, their responses to the questionnaire were analyzed by using SPSS 26. The findings revealed that most anxiety-provoking factors among students were their fear of (1) making grammatical mistakes, (2) having oral tests, and (3) speaking without preparation in class. Furthermore, a ANOVA was used to analyze the responses. The study found a significant difference in terms of length of studying English (F = 5.559 and p-value was .000 on the ANOVA test). In respect to age and different fields of majors, the ANOVA test disclosed that there was no significant difference.

VIETNAMESE NON-ENGLISH MAJOR EFL UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ RECEPTIVE KNOWLEDGE OF THE MOST FREQUENT ENGLISH WORDS

The receptive knowledge of 442 non-English major university students in a General English program in Vietnam was measured with Webb, Sasao, and Ballance’s (2017) New Vocabulary Levels Test. It was found that despite 10 years of formal English language instruction, nearly half of the participants had not mastered the most frequent 1,000 words and more than 90% had not mastered the most frequent 2,000 words. The study calls for more attention to high-frequency words in English language instruction in Vietnamese EFL context.

Self-perceived communication competence and communication apprehension: A study of Indonesian college students

Considering the important role of Individual Differences (IDs) factors in variations in the ultimate success of learners learning second language (L2, this study investigated Indonesian college students’ two ID components, self-perceived communication competence (SPCC) and their communication apprehension (CA), in English as L2. Several rationales become the basis of the present study. Despite the importance of learners’ SPCC in L2 learning as suggested by several empirical studies outside Indonesia, there have not been any specific study investigating learners’ SPCC in the Indonesian context despite the country being the home of one of the largest number of L2 speakers of English in the world. As a seminal study in the context, the study using quantitative methods enables generalisation which could pave a way for further studies in the field in the Indonesian context. A total of 276 non-English major college students participated in the study in a survey using probability random sampling. Using descriptive statistics in SPSS 21, the study found that learners had medium level of SPCC and medium level of CA. Through correlation formula, the study also found that there was moderate significant association between learners’ SPCC and their CA. Through regression analysis, it was found that their SPCC could predict 23% of variance in their CA. The findings urge teachers to provide as many learning opportunities as possible in enjoyable learning environment to increase learners’ perception of their capability, in turn boosting their confidence to speak in English. Based on the findings and several limitations of the study, several suggestions of future studies are presented.

L2 Motivational Self System, International Posture, and the Socioeconomic Factor in Efl at University Level: The Case of Chile

Abstract Motivation plays a critical role in L2 language learning and has proven to be a strong predictor of success in learning a foreign language (Biedroń & Pawlak, 2016). The Second Language Motivational Self System (L2MSS) is one of the most prominent theories developed by Dörnyei (2009), which has been studied in relation to different variables affecting language learning motivation. The aim of the present study is to examine the relationship between L2MSS components, international posture, and socioeconomic status among university students. The participants of this study were 134 non-English major university students. The results suggest that the ideal L2 self, and the L2 learning experience are related to international posture insert a comma after posture whereas the L2 learning experience is a stronger predictor of students’ motivated behavior. Future research should investigate the development of future selves in instructed language learning contexts conducive to enhancing and increasing motivation to learn English.

A Corpus-Based Comparative Study of Chinese EFL Learners’ Use of Temporal Metaphor in English

This paper adopted a corpus-based approach to compare the uses of the conceptual metaphor “TIME IS MONEY” between Chinese non-English major college students and native speakers of English. The results revealed no direct correspondence between frequency of metaphorical use and proficiency level of English. While EFL learners differed with native speakers in terms of the diversity of metaphorical uses, the patterns of high-frequency uses were similar between the two groups. Chinese EFL learners were prone to produce unidiomatic metaphorical expressions that literally make sense. These expressions could be the mixed results of negative L1 transfer and insufficient L2 proficiency, especially the lack of adequate semantic knowledge in English. To language learners, conceptual metaphor in L2 cannot be randomly created, but has to be acquired with the help of the cultural knowledge embedded in the metaphorical expressions.

The role of recasts and negotiated prompts in an FL learning context in China with non-English major university students

This quasi-experimental classroom study examines the effects of recasts and negotiated prompts on oral interactions in a foreign language (FL) context where the instructional approach primarily focuses on grammar and accuracy. Ninety adult native speakers of Mandarin Chinese from two intact classes were randomly assigned to one of two experimental groups (recast or negotiated prompt) or a control group, and were asked to complete pre-/post-tests on their use of question and past tense forms in English. Between the pre-test and the post-tests, the learners of the two experimental groups had three treatment lessons for feedback outside their usual English classes, the interaction data of which are reported. ANOVA analyses revealed that recasts were highly effective for accuracy development of wh-questions, interrogative questions and irregular past tense verbs. Negotiated prompts showed moderate effectiveness at most times for accuracy development of interrogative questions and both irregular and regular past tense verbs. These findings provide further insights into the role of corrective feedback (CF) in L2 development.

Willingness to Communicate in English of Non-English Major University Students in Indonesia

This research was conducted to investigate the willingness to communicate (WTC) of Indonesian learners of English as a second language (L2) at the university level. It was conducted based on several rationales. WTC in L2 was often regarded as the primary goal of language instructions, and there might be various factors influencing WTC in L2 and the two so-called strongest factors, namely learners’ perceived communication competence and communication apprehension, need to be investigated further to find out the degree to which they affected learners’ WTC. Besides, Indonesian learners’ low frequency of English use outside classroom contexts might lead them to be unwilling to make actual communication in English. Through probability random sampling, a total of 276 non-English major university students participated in the study, the data of which were analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics, correlation and regression, in SPSS 21. This research finds that learners have reported a high level of WTC, their perceived communication competence is found to be a strong predictor of learners’ WTC, communication apprehension is found to be correlated with WTC in just a moderate level, and despite experts’ supports on the importance of WTC in L2 learning, it surprisingly cannot predict learners’ L2 achievement.